Understand air quality index

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation today issued an air quality alert saying the air quality index in the state has reached 100.

When the AQI value is high, it is advised that strenuous outdoor physical activity should be avoided to reduce the risk of adverse health effects.  The very young and those with respiratory problems can be sensitive to the elevated levels of outdoor air pollutants.

According to airnow.gov, Albany New york and Brigantine, New Jersey are reporting unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups air quality and Baltimore, Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington DC are reporting unhealthy air quality right now.

However, EPA has early said that indoor air quality can be 10 times worse than the outdoor air quality.  

Understand air quality index

Air quality index is an index used to report daily air quality in your area.  EPA calculates the AQI value based on five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (also known as particulate matter), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.

How to understand the AQI value?

There are six categories of air quality. Each category corresponds to a different level of health concern.  AIRnow.gov offers the following explanation.

Good (AQI 0 to 50) - Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.

"Moderate" (51 - 100). - Air quality is acceptable; but some pollutants may raise a moderate health concern for a very small number of people. For instance, people who are unusually sensitive to ozone may experience respiratory symptoms.

"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" (101 - 150) - The condition is worse enough to affect certain people. For instance, those with lung disease, older adults and children are at a greater risk from exposure to ozone, whereas those with heart and lung disease, older adults and children are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air.

"Unhealthy" (151 - 200) - Everyone may experience some adverse health effects, and people of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects. .

"Very Unhealthy" (201 - 300) - This would lead to a health alert signifying that everyone may experience more serious health effects.

"Hazardous" (greater than 300) - This would trigger health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is likely to be affected

Jimmy Downs

(This article may contain some content from airnow.gov)